The present invention relates generally to equipment used in fuel dispensing environments. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a breakaway coupling comprising a first member, a second member, and a separation detection assembly operative to detect separation of the first member from the second member. In some embodiments, the separation detection assembly may also comprise an alarm and/or communication electronics for notifying appropriate personnel that separation has occurred.
Breakaway couplings for protecting fuel dispensing equipment are well known. Breakaway couplings usually have male and female members which are releasably retained together by various means, such as by shear pins, an annular coil spring, a detent biased by a restoring spring, and permanent magnets. These couplings are often provided between a fuel dispensing nozzle and a fuel dispensing hose or between the fuel dispensing hose and a shorter length of hose attached to a fuel dispenser. In general, such couplings protect fuel dispensing equipment from damage by decoupling when tensile forces are applied to the fuel dispensing hose, for example when a vehicle's driver drives away from the fuel dispenser having failed to remove the fuel dispensing nozzle from the vehicle's fuel tank inlet. Further, breakaway couplings typically comprise internal valve members that, upon uncoupling, move to their closed positions to prevent the release of fuel from the coupling components and attached equipment. Breakaway couplings have been constructed with a single fuel supply passage for a non-vapor recovery fuel dispenser and with both a fuel supply passage and a vapor return passage for a vapor recovery fuel dispenser. Additional background information regarding the construction and operation of prior art breakaway couplings is provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,487,796; 7,252,112; 7,240,927; 6,899,131; 5,433,247; 5,419,354; 5,346,260; 4,763,683; 4,691,941; 4,049,295; 3,586,048; and 3,181,895, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties for all purposes.